DataArt: Next-Generation Recruiting

It is not easy for a programmer to find new clients and work on projects for them independently. If you start working with clients on your own, you may encounter many problems: lack of partnerships, weak client trust, and competition with outsourcing companies. All of this takes a long time to build, and there is no time to endure such costs. In such cases, companies like DataArt can help.

DataArt is an international software development company. It employs 5,000 specialists from all over the world across various fields: from DevOps engineers and QA testers to mobile application developers and data specialists. The company entered the Kazakh market only this summer, so it is actively recruiting colleagues. DataArt’s expertise lies primarily in development for companies in the financial, healthcare, retail, media, and travel sectors.

How we retain specialists

We attract and retain employees with the same approach: we offer a well-developed, attractive Employer Value Proposition (compensation, benefits, working conditions, values, processes, and company rules) that is consistent across all labor markets. Our colleagues stay because they can develop professionally with us, work with experts and engineers from around the world, and change projects. A colleague immediately becomes part of the company, regardless of whether they are assigned to a project or placed on the bench (a short period for self-development while we search for a new project). When a project ends, we find other projects for our colleagues, and during the break between them (usually very short), colleagues can become speakers, mentors, participate in internal DataArt development initiatives, and more.

People stay because of job security, the opportunity to change projects, and a flexible approach to work schedules. Yes, sometimes people leave because we have nothing to offer them—for example, if they have a narrow specialization and do not wish to retrain with the company’s help for some reason. However, we are always happy to welcome back former employees if their new company does not suit them. Additionally, we offer global mobility for those who wish to relocate. If a colleague wants to move, we will find suitable vacancies and assist with the relocation. In short, we are a convenient employer.

About the large number of women in the company

There is a global problem related to the fact that there are more men than women in IT. This is strange, as even a diligent school student knows that programming was invented by a woman—Ada Lovelace. In DataArt, women make up about a third of the staff—slightly higher than the market average—but we would like to have even more, and we actively work on the idea of equal opportunities in everything. Our libraries, programming schools, and English courses are open to all colleagues. This helps when a colleague wants to change their specialization—for example, moving from back-office roles to development, QA, or project management.

We are also very supportive of women gradually returning from maternity leave. They can start with a quarter-time position, then move to half-time, and so on. We are good employers for women. We are interested in our colleagues, and they make choices that benefit us. By the way, in countries where labor legislation allows it, we also provide parental leave for men.

About the role of awards

Awards are not a metric by which we track the effectiveness of our brand. However, any award is an opportunity for us to tell more about ourselves. If we become the top HR brand in Kazakhstan, the media will likely write about it. Consequently, more people will learn about us, and more people will join us.

The same applies to the client market. We appear in various rankings, and this helps our brand stay in front of clients more often. We do not have the goal of entering rankings for their own sake, but it helps with our image. Rankings compiled by journalists and experts are not as important to us, although it is pleasant to be recognized in the market. It is more honorable to hold high positions in rankings compiled by our colleagues, IT engineers.

About the Kazakh client base

We are not currently taking local clients from Kazakhstan. We have clients from Latin America and Eastern Europe, but the majority of our portfolio consists of clients from the USA and the UK. This does not mean that some clients do not deserve our attention; it simply means that our sales and support processes are currently set up for those markets.

Sometimes we collaborate with large international companies from Russia and Ukraine. We are also open to collaborating with international companies in Kazakhstan.

About the representation in Central Asia

Our task in Central Asia is recruitment. We opened an office in Almaty only in July, and recently opened another one in Nur-Sultan. Currently, we have about 20 people in Almaty. Most of them are technical specialists, and there is only one PR manager for the entire country of Kazakhstan. By the end of the year, we want to grow to 100 people in the two cities, and then it will depend on how things go. We never set aggressive goals, but from experience, we know that important mechanisms for mentoring, working with young specialists, professional development, and other necessary aspects for developing technical PR start to function when an office reaches about 100 people.

We are focused on the labor market and partnership programs. This means that our company will work with universities, programming schools, and English language schools. As our offices grow, DataArt will have a greater influence on the local environment. We may join some business associations, or perhaps come up with our own initiatives.

You can become part of the DataArt team. The company is hiring developers, engineers, and specialists in many fields: from project managers to Java developers. Click the link to apply for a position of interest.